Transaction processing apparatus

Abstract

 A transaction processing system using a microchip card comprises a customer's microchip card reader/writer for communicating with a customer's microchip card in which a balance is recorded, and a vendor's microchip card reader/writer that can be electrically coupled to the customer's microchip card reader/writer and is used for communicating with a vendor's microchip card in which a balance is recorded. A transaction is processed by deducting the amount of the transaction from the balance in the customer's microchip card and adding said amount to the balance in the vendor's microchip card.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to transaction processing apparatus for use with card a card issued by a financial institution, and in particular to such apparatus for use with a microchip card in which balance information is recorded. The apparatus may be used in retail such as a department store, supermarket or a small retail store.

Background of the Invention

[0002] Apparatus is known for interacting with prepaid microchip cards also known as IC-cards to update the card's memory to increase or reduce the balance stored. Post processing is necessary for reimbursing the vendor and the vendor would have to submit records of the transaction to the card issueing financial institution involving much work and opportunity for fraudulent manipulation of the transaction records on paper, flexible-disk, or other media on which records are kept, and fraudulent input to the terminal apparatus.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a transaction processing apparatus for use with a microchip card having means for inputting an amount of a transaction characterised in that there are provided both a customer's microchip card reader/writer for communicating with a customer's microchip card and a vendor's microchip card reader/writer for communicating with a vendor's microchip card, and processing means linked for data-interchange with the respective reader/writer for debiting the amount of the transaction from the balance recorded in the customer's microchip card and crediting that same amount to the balance recorded in the vendor's microchip card. The card may be prepaid card. The means for inputting the transaction may be a data port or can be a keyboard provided on the apparatus. The apparatus so permits customer's and vendor's cards to be updated simultaneously in matching fashion so that each card is automatically updated. The apparatus can hence be arranged to prevent the customer exceeding his limit by going into debit or over his debit limit. Stores cannot generate false transaction reports which may later escape the scrutiny of the customer charged. Post processing of paper work to and from a card issueing financial institution may be reduced. The cards may be used in different applications.

[0004] Preferably the apparatus is arranged to allow the customer to insert the customer's microchip card in the customer's microchip card reader/writer and has associated keypad means for entering a password (which term is used to cover any identification code). The apparatus preferably also has means, such as a keypad, associated with the vendor's microchip card reader/writer for permitting the vendor to enter the amount of the transaction. The processing means is operated so that the amount of the transaction is communicated in the apparatus from the vendor's microchip card reader/writer to the customer's microchip card reader/writer, then from the two microchip card reader/writer to both microchip cards. With suitable verification and card authentication using the password, the amount of the transaction is deducted from the balance recorded in the customer's microchip card and added to the balance recorded in the vendor's microchip card.

[0005] The use of a password input means for use by the customer reduces the scope of fraudulent use of the customer's microchip card without lengthy delays. Preferably the apparatus includes hard copy print out means for providing a confirmatory record of the transaction for the vendor and the customer. These hard copies enable the vendor and customer to establish up to date records, reducing the need for laborious post processing with the card issueing financial institution and checking of individual entries in aggregated records.

[0006] Later, the vendor can transfer the balance recorded in the vendor's microchip card to a bank account or convert it to cash by a simple process performed at a financial institution. The customer similarly can add or deduct from his balance as required without the need for issueing a new card.

DRAWINGS

[0007] 

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows the cash-register terminal for use in the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the customer's microchip card terminal for use in the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figures 4A, 4B, 4C represent sections of a flowchart of the processing of a transaction on an embodiment of the invention according to Figure 1.

Description of preferred embodiment

[0008] With reference to Figure 1, an apparatus of the invention comprises a cash-register terminal 20 which may be coupled to a host controller (such as a central computer) and a customer's microchip card terminal 30 coupled to the cash-register terminal 20. First the cash-register terminal will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The cash-register terminal 20 is a device operated by the vendor in a transaction. The customer display 1 is a liquid-crystal or light-emitting-diode device for displaying the amount of the sale to the customer. The amount-of-sale display 2, which enables the operator of the cash terminal to confirm the amount of the sale, is a liquid-crystal or light-emitting-diode device similar to the customer display 1. The item input area 3 comprises a display device such as a CRT provided with a touch sensor on its surface. The manual magnetic card reader 4 reads information from a magnetic strip on a card which is inserted in a groove and moved by hand for scanning. The manual magnetic card read 4 is not an essential feature of the invention but is provided for a variety of purposes for which the cash-register terminal 20 might require a magnetic strip scanner. The flexible disk drive 5 (FDD) enables the system program of the cash-register terminal 20, sales information, and other information to be stored on, for example, a 3.5-inch flexible disk. The keypad 6 comprises a plurality of keys which the operator presses to enter information. The receipt printer 7 prints transaction information on a journal strip and receipt, which it then ejects. The vendor's microchip card reader/writer 8 communicates with semiconductor devices such as a microprocessor and memory embedded in a microchip card 12. The communication may take place through electrical contacts on the surface of the card, or by noncontacting means. An external interface 9 (Figure 1) mediates the transfer of data to and from a customer's microchip card terminal 30. The main controller 10 controls all of the components 1 through 9, which are connected to a bus 11.

[0009] With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the customer's microchip card terminal 30 comprises a keypad 13, a display 14, a microchip card reader/writer 15, a control section 17, a bus 18, and an external interface 19. The customer uses the numeric keypad 13 to enter a password. e.g., a numeric code known only to the customer. The display 14, which is a liquid-crystal or similar device, prompts the customer to enter the password and to effect other operations such as inserting and removing the card. The microchip card reader/writer 15 communicates with semiconductor devices embedded in a customer's microchip card 19. An external interface 16 mediates the transfer of data to and from the cash-register terminal 20. The control section 17 receives commands from the main controller 10 in the cash-register terminal 20 and controls components 13 through 16, which are all coupled to a bus 18.

[0010] The apparatus includes processing means shwon schematically in the chain dotted boxes 20 and 30 in Figure 1 which effect a series of data processing steps represented in Figure 4A, 4B and 4C. The data processing on the apparatus of the invention begins with a prompt on the customer's microchip card terminal 30 instructing the customer to insert the customer's microchip card 19 (step 101). The customer inserts the card to the necessary position (step 102), thereby establishing an electrical coupling between it and the microchip card reader/writer 15 (Step 103). When positioning is completed, the microchip card reader/writer 15 applies a voltage that activates the customer's microchip card 19, which then initializes itself (step 104). After initialization, the customer's microchip card 19 sends basic 'Answer to Reset' information to the control section 17 via the microchip card reader/writer 15 (step 105). This information indicates, for example, what type of card the customer's microchip card is and what protocol it will use in communicating with the customer's microchip card terminal 30. From this information, the customer's microchip card terminal 30 determines whether it is able to undertake a transaction with the microchip card 19 inserted by the customer (step 106). If the transaction can be undertaken, next the customer's microchip card terminal 30 and the customer's microchip card 19 carry out a mutual authentication process by exchanging and checking indentification information establishing that the one is a valid terminal and the other is a valid card (steps 107 to 110).

[0011] A process similar to the process described so far is carried out when the vendor's microchip card 12 is inserted in the cash-register terminal 20 shown in Figure 2 (steps 201 to 210 in block A). The vendor's microchip card 12 can be left in the cash-register terminal 20 instead of being inserted and removed separately at each transaction.

[0012] After completion of authentication in step 110, the control section 17 of the customer's microchip card terminal 30 sends the card identification information received in step 109 to the cash-register terminal 20 via the external interface 16 (step 111). The main controller 10 of the cash-register terminal 20 receives the identification information sent from the customer's microchip card terminal 30 via its external interface 9 and compares it with a negative file (a list of disallowed cards) received from the host controller (not shown in the drawing) to check that the use of this customer's microchip card 19 has not been proscribed (step 112). If the use of this card has not be proscribed, the main controller 10 commands the customer's microchip card terminal 30 to prompt the customer to enter the password. When it receives this command, the control section 17 causes the display 14 to display a prompt for entry of a password, such as 'ENTER PASSWORD' (step 113), and the customer responds by keying in the password (step 114). The control section 17 receives the password and sends it through the microchip card reader/writer 15 to the customer's microchip card 19. The customer's microchip card 19 compares the password received with a password stored in its memory to confirm the identity of the customer (step 115). If the result, given in step 116, is that the password does not match, the customer's microchip card 19 informs the control section 17 via the microchip card reader/writer 15 of the mismatch and the control section 17 displays a message indicating that the password was incorrect, such as 'INCORRECT PASSWORD' on the display 14 (step 117). If the result in step 116 is that the password matches, the customer's microchip card 19 notifies the main controller 10 of the cash-register terminal 20 via the microchip card reader/writer 15, the control section 17, and the external interface 16 that the password is correct.

[0013] When notified that the password is correct, the main controller 10 causes a prompt to be displayed on the item input area 3 instructing the vendor to enter the monetary amount of the transaction and other items of transaction data (step 118). The vendor enters the requested data on the keypad 6 (step 119). The main controller displays the amount of the transaction on the customer display 1 and checks the validity of the transaction data entered (step 120). If the result of this check, obtained in step 121 is that the transaction data are invalid, the main controller 10 displays a message indicating the invalidity, such as 'ERROR' on the item input area 3 (step 122) and the vendor enters the data again. If the result in step 121 is that the transaction data are valid, the main controller 10 sends a request via the customer's microchip card terminal 30 to the customer's microchip card 19 for the balance information recorded in the memory of the customer's microchip card 19 (step 123).

[0014] When it receives this request, the customer's microchip card 19 reads the balance information recorded in its memory (124) and reports it to the cash-register terminal 20 via the cusomter's microchip card 30 (step 125). The main controller 10 then compares (step 126) the reported balance information with the amount of the transaction entered in step 119. If the balance is inadequate for the transaction, the main controller 10 displays a message indicating that a balance is inadequate, such as 'INADEQUATE FUNDS' on the customer display 1. If the balance is adequate for the transaction, the main controller 10 commands the customer's microchip card 19 via the customer's microchip card terminal 30 to deduct the amount of the transaction from the balance in its memory (step 127). In response to this command the customer's microchip card 19 updates the balance records in its memory (step 128) and notifies the cash-register terminal 20 via the customer's microchip card terminal 30 of the new balance after the update (step 129). The main controller 10 then subtracts (step 130) the amount of the transaction given in step 127 from the balance reported in step 125 and checks whether the result equals the new balance reported in step 129. If this check passes. the main controller 10 displays an itemized breakdown of the transaction in the item input area 3 (step 131). From this itemized display the vendor confirms that the correct amount has been paid and presses a confirmation key on the keypad 6 or touches an equivalent sensor on the item input area 3 (step 132).

[0015] When notified of this confer, the main controller 10, operating via the microchip card reader/writer 8, reads the balance recorded in the vendor's microchip card 12 and sends the amount of the transaction of this card (step 133). The vendor's microchip card 12 adds the amount of the transaction to the balance in its memory (step 134), and sends resultant new balance and the amount of the transaction back to the cash-register terminal 20 for checking. The main controller 10 checks that the reported amount of the transaction is correct, adds it to the balance read in step 133, and checks that the result equals the reported new balance (step 135). If these checks pass, the main controller 10 sends the customer's microchip card 19 via the customer's microchip card terminal 30 a command to write record of the transaction and the customer's microchip card 19 writes in its memory a record comprising information such as the data, amount, and place of the transaction (step 136).

[0016] When this process is completed, the customer's microchip card 19 is deactivated by the microchip card reader/writer 15 on command from the control section 17 (step 137) and ejected (step 138) so that it can be retrieved by the customer. The control section 17 also displays a message prompting retrieval of the card such as 'TAKE CARD' on the display 14 (step 139). In parallel with steps I37 through 139, the main controller 10 in the cash-register terminal 20 commands the receipt printer 7 to print a journal hard copy record for the vendor (step 140) and a hard copy receipt for the customer (step 141).

[0017] This completes the transaction process. If the customer finds from the receipt any error e.g., overcharge, he can request the same type of correction as in a cash transaction. In this embodiment, the cash-register terminal 20 and the customer's microchip card terminal 30 were described as being housed separately, but they could also be integrated into a single unit. The apparatus reduces the requirement for clerical operations in post processing and provides enhanced security at the same time.

Claims

1. A transaction processing apparatus for use with a microchip card having means for inputting an amount of a transaction characterised in that there are provided both a customer's microchip card reader/writer for communicating with a customer's microchip card and a vendor's microchip card reader/writer for communicating with a vendor's microchip card, and processing means linked for data-interchange with the respective reader/writers for debiting the amount of the transaction from the balance recorded in the customer's microchip card and crediting that same amount to the balance recorded in the vendors microchip card.

2. Apparatus according to claim in which the processing means is arranged to cause the customer's microchip card reader/writer to write the amount of transaction in the customer's microchip card, to deduct that amount from the balance to determine a new balance, and to store the new balance.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the processing means is arranged to cause the vendor's microchip card reader/writer to write the amount of transaction in the vendor's microchip card to add that amount to the balance to determine a new balance, and to store the new balance.

4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims. in which the apparatus includes hard copy print out means for providing a confirmatory record of the transaction for the vendor and the customer.

5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, including means for inputting a password preferably associated with the customer's reader/writer, for confirmation of the identity of the customer to the processing means in which the processing means is arranged to cause the customer's microchip card reader/writer to write the input password into the customer's microchip card for authentication by reference to a password stored on the customer's microchip card.

6. Apparatus according to any of the precedings claims 1 to 5 in which the vendor's microchip card reader/writer and the customer's microchip card reader/writer and the processing means are provided in an integrated unit.

7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 5 in which the vendor's microchip card reader/writer and the customer's card reader/writer are provided in separate units interfaced with one another through appropriate portions of the processing means.

Drawing